Stubbe, a self-described "rock hound," founded Charles Paul Gem Designs in 1974 in a modest space in downtown Allentown.

He later moved to a highly visible historic building at Cedar Crest and Hamilton boulevards in South Whitehall Township. Since then, the store has been known as much for its unique jewelry as its location — in an eye-catching three-story building that dates to the 1700s.

Now, after 24 years in South Whitehall, Stubbe is closing his store and retiring.

Stubbe, who owns the business with his wife, Deborah Stubbe, said he is retiring because the business has become a bit much. Stubbe is active in all aspects of the operation — from manufacturing to repairs and appraisals.

"Now we're doing so much custom work and to run a retail store is not something that is very efficient to put our energy in," Deborah Stubbe said. "His energy should be in buying stores and making custom pieces because that's where his skills are."

Stubbe will still own the building, but said he could lease the 1,500-square-foot jewelry store space on the lower level. There's also a chance Stubbe, 60, could stay in the jewelry business in a more modest capacity such as appointment-only.

Deborah Stubbe, a clinical psychiatrist, said she plans to open a pediatric mental health practice in the building.

Owner Paul Dreyer retired after more than two decades in business, a venture that he also started in downtown Allentown and later moved to the burbs.

Speaking of moving to the burbs, downtown Allentown staple jeweler Salomon Jewelers is moving from the area in June. Owners have said they may open a location in western Lehigh County.

Salomon sold its three-story building at 606 Hamilton St. to real estate developer East Penn Real Estate Inc.

Other jewelry news in recent years includes storied Lehigh Valley jewelers Freeman Jewelers and Bixler's Jewelers, both of whom decided to close their city stores and focus on existing stores in suburbia.

The 6,200-square-foot restaurant is owned by Savvas Kiprislis and Gus Hronis, proprietors of Keystone Pub on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem Township.

They did a major renovation to the former steakhouse, including a floor-to-ceiling renovation and a 45-seat bar that surrounds a massive beer-tap system.

The other opening news in Whitehall takes us to the Lehigh Valley Mall.

Smart Toys has opened on the upper level near JCPenney. The shop sells toys for all ages.

Spencer's Gifts moved near Macy's on the lower level next to Dunderbak's Market Café. Music store FYE will relocate this summer from the upper level to the lower level next to Express. Taking FYE's former space will be Cotton On, which plans to open in the fall. Cotton On carries fashions, shoes and accessories for men, women and children.

We are getting closer to the region's first Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The popular taco and burrito chain is opening in June at the former Corner Bakery space, mall officials said Wednesday. There's no opening date yet.

Chipotle is a Denver-based chain known for its burritos and assembly-line ordering. The company has more than 1,200 spots across the country, including in Reading and North Wales, Montgomery County.

Chipotle helped make burritos and burrito bowls very popular in recent years, spurring a lot of merchants to peddle similar fare in the Valley.

On to Allentown:

Cafe Central, a breakfast-and-lunch eatery in the Alvin H. Butz Corporate Center at Ninth and Hamilton streets, has closed.

Cafe Central was among a wave of cafes that opened in the city's downtown last year, including The Noshery and Coffee Works.

The Noshery, a Mediterranean-theme eatery in PPL Plaza, shuttered late last year. The wave of new cafes was heralded by downtown office workers who lamented the slim pickings of coffee shops in the area.

Burgeoning discount chain Dollar General wants to open a 9,000-square-foot store at 2811 W. Emmaus Ave., according to a city development application.

Last year, the chain announced plans to open hundreds of locations throughout the nation. The company didn't give specifics, but some local commercial Realtors said Dollar General has been shopping locations in the area, particularly in Wind Gap and west Allentown.

Dollar General has at least 15 stores in the Valley, selling everything from clothes to groceries and knickknacks.